


A Call Away

by Soyna



Series: Stand By Me [7]
Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Complicated Relationships, M/M, angsty, uncontrolled sadness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-10
Updated: 2017-12-10
Packaged: 2019-02-13 00:44:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,094
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12972006
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Soyna/pseuds/Soyna
Summary: Ignis and Gladio's relationship become complicated with Noctis ... missing.





	A Call Away

**Author's Note:**

> Relationship is complicated.  
> Era: Darkness and beyond.
> 
> Last day of Gladnis Week 2017 which is a wild ride. I really really love these two dudes.

Ignis could hear Gladio and wanted to tell him to go away, but the words wouldn’t leave him. His whole body was betraying him all the more. His eyes burned as the tears forced their way out of his damaged tear ducts and streamed down his face. He couldn’t hold them back even if he tried.

“Iggy?”

He shook his head and viciously scrubbed at his face. Gladio’s voice was thick with sadness too. He knew that Prompto was in the other railcar right now, and had cried himself out hours ago.

Ignis wished he could stop the pain and the tears.

They had lost Noct. The crystal had claimed him and they could do nothing to stop him from being taken from them.

He failed. It was literally his job to protect him and he wasn’t able to do it… 

Ignis replayed the last moments over and over again as they had walked into the room with the crystal. How he felt that Noct was gone and Ardyn was there and how he did nothing. Prompto and Gladio took Ardyn down with a quick slash and shot that caused his ears to ring. The sickening thump of a body hitting the ground only to be followed with a deep taunting laugh as he rose and taunted them at their failure. 

“Run along now, children. Your part is done for now,” Ardyn said and… was gone.

Hands fell on his shoulder that should have been comforting but he could not handle the touch. He flinched away from the hands and pushed away from Gladio.

Words, something that he was so good at, failed. He couldn’t speak as the tears burned his unseeing eyes and horrible sounds left his raw throat.

“I’m here for you,” Gladio whispered.

Ignis only shook his head and searched for his cane. He was grateful for his blindness so that the didn’t have to see the look that would have caused more painful sobs to rack his body. He doubted that he could take any more.

Gladio grabbed his arm. Something that he had been doing since he lost his eyesight. He pulled away and violently shook his head. He wanted to tell him to stop touching him. It hurt so much to be touched right now. He didn’t deserve …

“No.”

“Ignis?” Gladio’s voice sounded like he had been stabbed. He might as well have. 

“I need,” his voice broke and cracked and he couldn’t finish his sentence. He turned away from Gladio and held his cane firmly. It was the only thing solid in his life at this moment.

He accepted his blindness, sure that it was indeed a small price to pay, but now … 

“I failed,” he whispered harshly. 

“He’s in the crystal,” Gladio said. “We can be there, when he ...”

He turned his back on Gladio as he wished he could cover his ears so he didn’t have to hear him talk anymore. He already knew this and he didn’t need to hear and relive it again.

“We can’t give up,” Gladio raised his voice. “He’ll do what he has to do in that stupid rock and then we can have the light back. We can have him back.”

Ignis whirled around, swinging his cane. He heard it crack as he hit Gladio with it. “Shut up!” He let go of the handle as his hand was shaking to hard. He couldn’t hear it clatter to the ground through his own anguish.

“Guys?” It was Prompto’s tired voice that interrupted them. “Are things okay?”

They were not okay. Not even close to being okay. Ignis took off his visor and rubbed his eyes furiously. Crying hurt but he couldn’t stop and Prompto’s small concerned voice refreshed his tears and rekindled the pain in his chest.

Gladio tried to wrap his arms around him. He couldn't bear the thought of being comforted when Noctis was alone in that damn crystal … torn out of this world to play a game that the gods decided and changed the rules on a whim. He pulled violently away from him and smacked into the wall. 

He screamed in frustration … over everything.

The arms surrounded him again. He fought against them but this time, Gladio didn’t let go. He held onto him and it frustrated Ignis as he fought to be free. He fought against the grip until he had no energy left and he let himself be held as tears still leaked from his eyes. He couldn’t catch his breath and he was grateful when exhaustion finally took hold of him.

A repaired cane was by his cot and the train had arrived at Tenabrae where they had agreed to meet up with Areana and arrange passage back to what remained of their home.

“Hey?” 

“Yes, Prompto,” Ignis responded. His throat hurt and his eyes burned. He wished he could still be asleep. His hand shook as he held his cane. He knew that he looked horrible and he didn’t care right now.

Because it didn’t matter anymore.

“We’re here. Want to grab a bite and then go see Areana?” Prompto tried to sound cheerful but there was still heavy sadness in his voice. It was so … wrong.

Everything was wrong.

He shook his head and tried to stand. He was not as stable as he should be. 

“Want to wash up?” Prompto asked.

He shook his head again. He really did not care what impression that he gave off at the moment. He had just lost everything. He had ever right to look like shit. He was no longer a royal advisor.

He failed.

“I’ll help you.”

He didn’t want Prompto touching him but he allowed to be led off the train before pulling his arm away. He could hear Aranea and Gladio’s voice and his eyes threatened to tear up again.

In his calmest voice possible he spoke, “Is everything arranged?”

“Yeah,” Gladio spoke. Ignis could hear the sadness in his voice. Part of him wanted to comfort him and another part of him wanted to run the other way. Gladio was just someone else that he disappointed.

“Can take ya as far as Galdin Quay, boys,” Aranea said. “And then you will be on your own.”

There was a flutter of voices from Prompto and Gladio. He couldn’t tell if it was Biggs or Wedge that helped him onto the transport. It didn’t really matter. He knew when Gladio set next to him … it was all too much.

He had to move.

He couldn’t … he failed.

The only comfort he had was being able to pull the dagger from the armiger. It meant that Noctis was alive and there was a chance that he could fix his failures.

Maybe.

They arrived at the former resort town. There was a flurry of voices, talk of how the power was scarce and how it was hard to keep the daemons at bay. People whispering that the King had abandoned them. He said nothing despite the anger that roiled inside of him.

Everything felt different as he walked up the boardwalk. The echos of Gladio and Prompto’s boots followed after him. He stopped once they reached the step of the restaurant. “I need to be alone.” 

“We’ll get a room …”

“Alone,” he snapped. Prompto didn’t deserve to be snapped at. He had helped him so much, but, “I really need to be alone.”

Gladio cleared his throat. “We’ll make sure you get a room to yourself.” 

Ignis only nodded as they went through the process of getting a room, hearing more whispers of how the world is going to end and how the King had abandoned them to the darkness. Gladio had put some food in his room that they ordered for him. He didn’t thank him as the door closed, he dropped his cane to the floor. He tried to remember where the bed was as he shuffled around the room to find it and collapse on it.

And the tears and anguish took hold of him again. He had to stuff his mouth with his hand to control the wails that were escaping him. No one needed to hear his pain.

He wallowed for two days before he got himself under control. He stumbled through showering, eating a fresh meal, putting on clean clothes. 

Gladio was waiting for him. “Hey.”

“Any news?” Ignis asked.

There was a pause. Gladio must have been shaking his head. “There moving most of the people to Lestallum and trying to get the powerlines back to working full force. It’s the safest place to go, so I thought we should head there.”

“I’m staying here.”

“It’s not safe here.”

“I’m staying here,” Ignis coldly said. “I need to find a way to get the crystal back from Zegnautus keep. It will best be able to do that here.”

Gladio gave out a deep sigh and in his mind eye, Ignis could see his shoulder’s slump. “I need to go check on Iris.”

“I’ll be here,” Ignis said simply. He needed to figure out if he could help Noctis and he couldn’t let anything stop it from happening. 

“Ignis. I would feel better if you came with us. It would be safer.” Gladio’s voice was soft and it made his chest hurt. 

Ignis stood up straight and he knew he sneered even though he didn’t mean too. “I’ll be fine here.” He knew he was being short but he couldn’t stand the thought of being coddled or even touched when he was such a failure.

Gladio’s breath hitched and he shuffled his feet. “Call me if you need anything, then. Okay. I’m only a call away.”

Nodding curtly, he turned to walk away from Gladio. He didn’t know quite what he was going to do yet, but he was going to do what he had to do to ensure Nocis safe return.

Only a call away …

There are nights that he craved Gladio but he never called. There were moments where he wanted nothing more than to talk to him over a cup of coffee but he didn’t. He did bump into him from time to time and they always parted, without a kiss, or touch and with the words, “Only a call away.” Those were the nights that he would find Umbra at the end of his bed, with his head on his legs. It helped, but it was not the comfort that he craved and denied himself.

It was five years into the darkness, when Iris confronted him. Literally hit him over the head with a book. Umbra was at his feet and made a small barking sound. It did not sound like he was defending him.

“What was that for, Iris?” He protested as he rubbed the spot where she hit him.

“For being a moron. Gladdy misses you so much. Don’t you miss him?” Her voice was stern and in his mind's eye, he could see her hands on her hips… even though he was very aware that she wasn’t a child any longer.

“I do,” he said with a sigh, “But …”

“You all need to get over the blaming yourself game,” Iris grumbled and Umbra made a sound like he was agreeing. “Gladio blames himself for not being strong enough to the point where he wears him out while training. Prompto is way over the top on working for the powerplant because he wants to make sure that Noct has light to come back too and you!” She pushed his shoulder. “Are the worse of them all by running around the world, finding out the history of the tombs and totally ignoring everyone.”

“I am not …”

“Yeah, you are.” She said in a stern voice. “And you are going to fix it. Gladio has tried to move on but he loves you. He misses you and it is making you all miserable. You can just get that stick out of your ass. Noct would not want you guys to be so grumpy and apart.”

“Iris …”

“He may have gagged when you guys kissed, but that was because he was weird.” Iris moved around him and her arms were around his shoulders and hugging him tightly so that he couldn’t pull away. “He wouldn’t want you to be apart.”

“I failed, Iris.” Was all that he could say.

“No,” Iris whispered and kissed his cheek. “It’s not over yet. Why else have you been researching and fighting?” Umbra made a small barking sound almost as if he as agreeing with Iris. 

She was being logical: simple and plain words that got to the core of the matter.

He hadn’t cried in five years since he had come out of that room but now, with Iris arms around him, they started to flow. The tears didn’t hurt his eyes this time but his chest tightened and the sob that left him was completely undignified. Iris ran his hands through his hair, held him, and wiped his face when he was done.

“So, you going to call him.”

Ignis shook his head. 

She slapped his shoulder hard. It hurt too. She definitely was a Amicitia. 

“You are going to call him and you are going to ask him to come and kiss you and all that sappy junk you used to do. He can read you all these books instead of Talcott and you two can stop being such distant jerks.”

“It’s not that simple.”

“It is!” She punched him this time. He flinched and pulled away from her. He couldn’t help but rub his arm as he was sure he was bruised. “Please, Iggy. He’s so alone and I hate hearing you both cry like this. You guys are each others hearts.”

Ignis rolled his eyes and sighed. “You need to stop listening to Dino. But I will call him.” Gladio had cried over him?

“Thank you, Ignis. Now, I brought you a whole bunch of books that Talcott found. Do you want me to start reading them?” Iris said and sat beside him on the couch.

“If you don’t mind, I would like to freshen up and I may need a potion to stop my arm from bruising,” Ignis said as he stood and walked to his bathroom. 

Iris yelled after him. “I didn’t hit you that hard!”

It was three more months before he made the call. It took him three tries as his fingers were shaking to hard as he tried to press the numbers on his phone. The call when to voicemail and he couldn’t leave a message so he hung up and then stared at his phone. Talcott distracted him with asking about some more texts that they were reviewing and Umbra rested against his legs the whole time. If Talcott noticed how distracted he was, he didn’t say anything.

It was only another day that he was able to call again.

It was not Gladio than answered. He did not recognize the soft voice that said hello. “I’m sorry, I must have the wrong number. Is this Gladio Amicitia phone?” 

“Yeah, but he’s in the shower. Can I take a message?”

He hung up and threw the phone across the room, where it crashed against the wall. He was certain that he broke it but at that moment, he really didn’t care. He sat in his quiet room, breathing deeply and controlling himself. Umbra crawled onto his lap. He was certain that the only thing that kept him from completely breaking was the small licks from the shiba.

Only a call away.

He focused on finding more information, understanding who Ardyn really was, understanding the prophecy and trying to find a way to save his King. He fished to make himself feel better and it did a decent job. There was always someone willing to join him on the docks and help him there and he had his own place in the kitchen.

He even found a sort of peace with how things were going in the Quay until the power failed and the darkness moved in.

He didn’t want to leave, but had no choice. 

They had fought for nearly ten years and now, the fight was not enough. The power plant was tired, the people were tired, the food was getting harder to produce and all hopes of the light returning was dim.

They were all at Hammerhead because of the recent loss of Galdin and trying to sort things out. Gladio and Prompto happened to be there and they were awkwardly working together together to figure out what they are to do next.

But the phone call from Talcott changed everything.

He was shaking when he told the others that Noctis was coming back. He hadn’t been there to properly greet the king, but Umbra must have given the message he had written so long ago when he had hoped that he had interpreted the writings.

Noctis was back.

It was hard not to refrain from hugging Noctis when he stepped out of Talcott’s truck, but he remained professional as they talked about what happened and returned to the diner to talk about their plans. There was so much to tell him. He looked tired and in the need of a haircut but he was still his Noctis and more like a King that he ever was.

Noctis wa helping him with dinner when he asked a question that he was not expecting. “Are you and Gladio okay?”

He had to put the knife he was using down because his hands were starting to shake. “What do you mean, highness?”

“You two always used to sit close to each other and do that look thing and,” Noctis sighed and put a hand on his arm, “you both look sad.”

“Things have changed,” Ignis said. “It will not change how we move forward.”

“Iggy?” Noctis hand squeezed his arm. “You’re shaking.”

“Sire, It really is …” he tried to say that it was not important but he was pretty sure that it was half of his world that the missing, “is better this way.” He didn’t believe the words and Noctis seem to feel the same way.

“Bullshit!”

“Language, highness,” Ignis responded immediately.

“What happened?” Noctis totally ignoring Ignis warning him for the harsh language.

Ignis lowered his head, “I failed you. I couldn’t protect anyone.” He couldn’t hold back the sob. “I didn’t deserve to have any happiness.”

His hands were taken into Noctis and they were squeezed tight. Ignis allowed himself to be brought into a hug by the King and tried not to let the panic in his chest consume him.

“You never failed me and you deserve all the happiness in the world,” Noct whispered and brushed at his cheeks. Ignis didn’t realize that his eyes were leaking.

“Highness?” Ignis said after a moment. “I need to finish dinner.”

“I’ll finish dinner. You go find Gladio and go back to being a gross in love couple.” Noctis said with a gentle push. 

“But Highness…” Ignis said as he fumbled around the counter.

“Okay, I won’t cook. But I will get Talcott to help.” Noctis said. “I don’t want to set the place on fire.” 

Ignis barked a laugh as Noctis actually pushed him out of the former diner. He had no choice but to talk to Gladio and he had no idea how to start the conversation.

He listened for his voice or Prompto’s. He heard them by the caravan. He wished he had his cane or Umbra to help him along. He felt shaky as he bumped into the chair that was still sitting in front of them.

“Hey! Ignis? You didn’t leave Noct to cook for us, did you?” Prompto sounded absolutely horrified.

“Talcott is assisting. Is Gladio there?” It was like tearing off a bandaid. It was best to get it over with. He needed to talk to Gladio, air it all, and then they can go back to focusing on returning the light.

“I’m here,” Gladio said from inside the camper.

“Oh-kay,” Prompto said. “I think I’ll go over and take some picture of Noct destroying our supper.” Ignis could hear him scurrying away and the sound of Gladio shuffling in the camper. 

“Do you want to come in or talk out here?” Gladio’s smooth baritone sent shivers down his spine.

“Inside would be prefered,” Ignis said as he ran his hand to find the steps and entered the camper. He easily found a seat at the small table and a can placed in his hand.

“I don’t know if it’s good but there was a crate of Ebony found and thought you’d like to have some.” Gladio said and took a seat across from him.

Ignis chest hurt and his heart started to beat hard. Not only for the precious Ebony that he had not had a good can of in years but that he had thought of him. Why would he think of him?

“So, you keep it real with the ladies?” he whispered as he rolled the can in his hands. It was keeping him from shaking.

“Yeah,” Gladio sounded sheepish and he could see him rubbing the back of his head and giving him a lopsided grin. “Didn’t want to lead any of them on, when… I thought …” Gladio cleared his throat and his voice got lower, “that one day, you would forgive me.”

“Forgive you?” Ignis was shocked and sat up straight and his face must have shown it. “Why would I ever need to forgive you?”

There was some shuffling and a soft sigh. “For failing.”

“I’m the one that failed?” Ignis blurted. “I didn’t deserve you! I didn’t deserve to have someone like you comforting me when I am the one that failed stop all of this. I didn’t deserve to have you.”

The silence was thick in the trailer at that moment. If Ignis hands weren’t on the can, they would be shaking viciously. 

His voice betrayed his nerves, “I did not deserve for you to still love me.”

“You don’t hate me?” Gladio’s voice sounded hopeful.

“I never hated you.” Ignis felt his hands being surrounded by Gladio’s. “I could never hate you. I love you so much but I don’t deserve you.”

“Stop saying that,” Gladio said sharply. “You deserve the world and I could never give it to you but I always tried. I couldn’t save Noct from the crystal and the darkness but I could have tried harder to give you a bit of light … and not run away.”

Ignis throat felt like it was closing up. He didn’t want to cry and lose control. He wanted to face Gladio in full control of his emotions, but it was already happening. And then Gladio lifted his hand to his lips and kissed his knuckles.

“By the six, Gladio,” Ignis whimpered. The tears were flowing now and when arms wrapped around him, he did not pull away but welcomed the familiar warmth, the rough stubble on the shields chin scraping against his neck as they embraced and both sobbed into each other.

They both lost track of time until there was a soft knock at the door. Noctis voice came through the window. “If you two have made up and are done being gross, supper is ready.” 

Gladio barked a laugh, “Never done being gross, when it comes to Ignis.”

Noctis made a gagging sound but was already walking away.

“Right?” There was a touch of uncertainty in his voice. 

“I missed being gross with you,” Ignis chuckled and pulled away from his embrace. “We can talk more about what fools we were, after we wash up and eat dinner.”

Before Gladio let him go, he kept his grip on his hips. “Can I sleep beside you tonight?”

Ignis nodded, “I would not want it any other way, ever again.” The kiss was a surprise but it was a wonderful surprise. Gladio tasted the same and Ignis noticed that he had a little more facial hair than before as he did not let him go and deepened it. Soon their lips were parted and their tongues delved into each other. Ignis put his hands in Gladio’s hair and noted how much longer it was.

“I missed you so much,” Ignis moaned into his lips. “I’m so sorry for pushing you away.” He couldn’t help but tug at his hair as he kissed him harder and hungrily. He never wanted to let him go again. “Gladio. Forgive me.” He voice was shaky and so unlike him but he couldn’t control himself. It was like a wave of relief, sorrow and joy rolled all into one.

“If you forgive me for being a dense lunk head.” Gladio responded and moved to kiss his throat. He definitely had a lot more facial hair than he remembered. 

“Ah,” he gasped and leaned so he had more access. “Of course.”

There was a loud bang on the side of the trailer. “I said, supper was ready and I know you two are still being gross!”

Prompto could be heard laughing and Noctis grumbling something about how things don’t change.

The kissing calmed to holding each other before they had to disengage from each other. Ignis impulsively ran his hands over his face finding familiar and new. “We are going to have to fight again and I’m afraid of losing everything.” He paused as he carded his hands through Gladio’s hair. “Again.”

“We will stand by each other through it all,” Gladio whispered and put his hand on his. “And after, even if the gods don’t allow it, I will stand at your side until the end of our days. Nothing will stop me again. Even my own ego.”

Ignis choked up again. He was going to start to cry as he pulled his his hand from his face and kissed his hand. “I’m so broken.”

“Yeah, I think we all are. We can be a little less broken when we are together.” Gladio said. 

“Always a romantic,” Ignis said and was going to lean in for another kiss when the door of the caravan opened and he could hear Prompto and Noctis tromp in. “We brought the food!” Prompto nearly sang.

Noctis sounded hopeful. “You two okay now? You’re being awful gross again, so I’m assuming you both are okay.”

“Yeah. I think we are.” Gladio said and they separated sat together in more respectable manner.

Prompto whooped. “Great. Can we eat now?” Ignis nodded as he could smell some rather wonderful smelling seafood gumbo. They sat in the camper and ate in relative silence. The food was good and it was good company. It was nice to relax and through the meal, Gladio put his hand on his knee.

Ignis felt … happy. The first time in ten years. Ten years of being a fool, and now he has one of his dearest friends, his King, and his lover.

“Can you two not?” Noctis finally whined and Ignis could imagine him rolling his eyes. “This is like finding that condom in my bedroom all over again.”

Prompto choked out a laugh. “I remember that. You were grossed out for days.”

“I hardly think that Gladio having his hand on my knee compares to that incident.” Ignis quickly defended. He was embarrassed over that oversight and made sure that something like that never happened again.

“I would do it again if I could. Your bed was damn comfortable.” Gladio said simply and Ignis really wished he could see his King’s face. “So eat, so we can talk about what steps we need to take to move forward to deal with this darkness.”

Ignis, for the first time in twenty years, felt like there would be hope.

* * *

The last of the iron giants roared and disappeared as a warmth that he hadn’t felt in years touched his skin.

He screamed and yelled at it. The emotions were overwhelming and all too much. Gladio wrapped around his shoulder and was holding him. He was muttering something that he could not understand. 

“The sun,” Prompto said. He didn’t know if he was whispering, crying, or yelling. He couldn’t tell what he was doing. 

It seemed like hours that they sat on the steps of the once great building until he was coherent enough to act like a human. “We need to get Noctis,” he whispered. He couldn’t say anything more. 

The weeks that followed were a blur. The daemons were no longer and the light had returned. He gave orders and things were done. A tomb was made for both Regis and Noctis to reside in. Ignis demanded that it was by the Lyden pond where Noctis like to fish. Regis had never been able to fish with his son but he did remember the stories of how that was where Regis had proposed to Aulea. It was the perfect resting place for the Last Kings of the Crystal to be entombed, with the silent crystal lying between them.

He ran his hands over the faces carved in the tombs and was satisfied with the results. Gladio and Prompto said that they were perfect. When it the basics of the tomb were finished, the doors were sealed and the rest of the garden was prepared. Many of their friends helped and the people who only knew the King by reputation, brought any flower that they could find to decorate it. Gladio had told him that it would be the most magnificent tomb out of all the kings.

“Gladio,” he whispered as they sat on a bench in front of the tomb in a silent moment.

“Yeah?” The larger man had his arm around him leaning his head on his. His heart still hurt and he still had moments where he needed to be alone with his pain but he always had Gladio to lean on now and he took it.

But he knew Noctis would not want him to be miserable forever.

“We’re probably grossing out Noctis in the afterlife by cuddling in front of his tomb.” 

Gladio roared with laughter. It was the first time that he probably even smiled since the sun rose. It was good to hear and made his heart lighten a little. He was about to say more when his large hands wrapped around his face and pulled him in for a kiss.

Ignis liked to think that the rain that started was Noctis fault and he didn’t mind at all.


End file.
